Ancient-Egyptian texts

An inscription on the door of the library of the great temple of Philae begins thus: “This is the… residence of the Prince of Wp-Rhwi under whose command stand the Two Lands, who sends forth the great ones, and guides…Read more

Praises to you, Lord of the Manor, holy baboon with shining mane, Of pleasing aspect, gentle, charming, loved by all. To him belongs contentment – for he is Thoth who overwhelms the earth with beauty! His headdress is red jasper,…Read more

Come to me, Djehuty! O glorious sacred Ibis, God, who loves Hermopolis. Scribe of letters to the Ennead. exalted in Heliopolis! Come to me that you may give good counsel and make me wise in your affairs. Your calling is…Read more

Praise to Thoth, son of Re, the moon, beautiful in its rising, lord of bright appearings, who illumines the gods,-by the Prince, Count, Fan-Bearer on the King’s Right, Great Army Commander, King’s Scribe, Horemhab, the justified. He saith: -Hail to…Read more

Worship of Thoth, son of Re, beautiful emergent Moon, lord of appearances, who illumines the gods, by the hereditary prince, mayor, vizier, fan-bearer on the king’s right hand, commander in chief of the armies, royal scribe, Horemheb, vindicated. He says:…Read more

Come to me, Thoth, O noble Ibis, o god who loves Khmun; o letter-writer of the Ennead, Great one who dwells in Un! Come to me and give me counsel, Make me skillful in your calling; Better is your calling…Read more

O you Netjeru in heaven, O you netjeru on Earth! You Southerners, Northerners, Westerners, Easterners, come and behold Djehuty, how He shines forth in His crown which the two lords in Hermopolis have set in place for Him, in order…Read more

Praising Thoth in the course of every day: O gods who are in heaven, O gods who [are in earth] […] easterners, come, that you may see Thoth crowned with his uraeus, when the Two-Lords are established for him in…Read more

O Djehuty, place me in Khmun, your city, where life is pleasant! You supply me what I need in bread and beer, you keep watch over my mouth when speaking. Would that I had Djehuty behind me at the Judgement!…Read more

“Praised be thee, Lord of the great gods, Possessor of the secrets that are in heaven and on earth, Good god of eternity of old, Who gave (us) the language and the scripture, Who has the houses pass by inheritance,…Read more

Through the heart and through the tongue something developed into Atum’s image. And great and important is Ptah, who gave life to all the gods and their kas as well through this heart and this tongue 5 through which Horus…Read more

Worshipping Ptah, father of the gods, Ta-tenen, eldest of the originals, at daybreak. Recitation: Greetings, Ptah, father of the gods, Ta-tenen, eldest of the originals, . . . 5 who begot himself by himself, without any developing having developed; who…Read more

Yours truly is praising your perfection, Ptah the great, South of His Wall; Ta-tenen in the midst of Memphis. Noble god of the first occasion, who built people and gave birth to the gods, original one who made it possible…Read more

Hail to thee, xnsw-DHwty, on this glorious day Hail to thee, saith Re to thee, who rejoicest the heart of Atum, and providest sacrifices for the gods. May thy heart rejoice thereat, on this glorious day when thou shinest forth….Read more

Thoth, thou, sweet well for someone who suffers thirst in the desert. He is closed for him who speaks and he is open for him who is silent. If the silent one comes, then he finds the well, when the…Read more

A morning hymn to Khnum, from the temple of Esna Awakenings of Khnum; say: Wake well in peace, wake well in peace, Khnum-Amun, the ancient, Issued from Nun, In peace, awake peaceably! Wake, lord of fields, Great Khnum, Who makes…Read more